Jimi I never said I wasn't poor. Believe me, oh be-lieve me - I know I'm poor. What I meant to imply was that even though I -am- poor, I try to find a modicum of gratitude because I could be much, much worse off as others in other countries - and others even here in the US are. Poverty is globally shared.

I think what I and others also mean to indicate is that for the most part here in America, when people say they're poor - look what they have comparatively: I'm sitting in my own bedroom, with a bed and an air conditioner, a laptop computer, a NOOK reader (given to me) - I can go take a hot shower right now if I feel like it, I can go watch my cable television or chat with friends on the Internet which is readily available and if I don't want to do any of that, I can get in my car and drive wherever I want (provided I have gas). Poor people in America have it good - and I'm saying that as a poor American who is sick and tired of the stress and depression that accompany poverty and repression. As much as I know I'm poor, as much as I hate it, as much as I think out government should do something about it instead of spewing rhetoric and making it worse, I fall to my knees in gratitude with the knowledge that I could have it, and many do have it, much worse.

Americans need to stand up, speak out, VOTE and demonstrate. Nothing is going to change in this country for victims of poverty, repression and the like unless those very people DO something about it. The problem is that many of the people in that demographic are un/undereducated, ill - physically and/or mentally, or have just been beat down generationally to the point that they no longer give a ____ about it past complaining about what they don't and "should" have in their lives. Me? I have a college degree, I vote, and well even that much doesn't seem to make a difference. You can only take so much before you start to think what's the point, why bother?

They say "Money doesn't buy you happiness." And to that I say B.S. - It could certainly buy me peace of mind out of this impoverished life, and that? Yessir, that would make me happy.